The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Prunus persica (peach) grown as a fruit tree for home use and for commercial agriculture. Peach is typically grown for their edible fruit that are used for fresh consumption, or for home canning.
The new and distinct variety of peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) originated as a first generation descendant from a hand pollinated cross of ‘Biscoe’ peach (non-patented)×NC-C5S-067 made in 1995 at the North Carolina State University Lake Wheeler Field Laboratory in Raleigh, N.C. ‘Biscoe’ was released and named as a peach cultivar by the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service in 1968, and is available in commerce. The NC-C5S-067 parent used in this hybridization was derived from a hand-pollinated cross of ‘Encore’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,572)×‘Calanda San Miquel 2383’ (non-patented) made in 1988 at the Sandhills Research Station, Jackson Springs, N.C. ‘Encore’ was named and released as a peach cultivar by Rutgers University in 1980, and assigned U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,572. ‘Calanda San Miquel 2383’ is an old land race of peach originating in Spain, with no documented history of release date.
The approximately 160 seeds resulting from the 1995 controlled hybridization were germinated in a greenhouse at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C. in the fall of 1995 and planted in the field in spring of 1996 at the Sandhills Research Station, Jackson Springs, N.C. These trees, growing on their own roots, first produced fruit in 1998, and one seedling, designated NC98-83, was selected for its large yellow flesh fruit, attractive red and yellow skin color, bacterial spot resistance, fruit with high flavor and aroma, late season of ripening, low flesh browning potential, and heavy fruit production. This original plant was growing on its own roots, and demonstrated characteristics identical to those subsequently expressed when propagated on ‘Lovell’ seedling rootstock.
Plants and fruit of this new variety differ from its parents. The new variety produces yellow flesh fruit that are larger, more round, and firmer than ‘Biscoe’. The flesh of this new variety is also resistant to flesh browning after the fruit is sliced for consumption, further distinguishing it from its ‘Biscoe’ parent. Fruit of this new variety are larger, firmer, and show more red color on the skin than the NC-C5S-067 parent. Bacterial spot resistance of the new variety is superior to that demonstrated by NC-C5S-067 and ‘Encore’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,572), based on field observation under conditions of natural disease infection. The round, smooth fruit have nearly equal amounts of attractive red skin color and golden yellow ground color.
During the years 1999 and 2000, the original plant selection was propagated asexually by grafting of vegetative buds onto the standard peach seedling rootstock cultivar ‘Lovell’. Four grafted trees of the variety were established in test plots at Sandhills Research Station in 2000, and three additional grafted trees of the variety were established at the same station in 2001.
The new variety has routinely been asexually multiplied by grafting, specifically ‘T’ budding. It readily forms a graft union with peach ‘Lovell’ rootstock and resumes normal growth. During all asexual propagation, the characteristics of the original plant have been maintained. Grafted trees on ‘Lovell’ rootstock exhibit characteristics identical to those of the tree on its own roots, and no aberrant phenotypes have appeared.
Test plantings and performance evaluation over seven years at the Sandhills Research Station demonstrate this variety to be relatively consistent in its characteristics even under the different growing conditions associated with yearly climatic variation.
Plants of the new variety are very vigorous and grow rapidly after establishment of trees in the field. Young trees have averaged 2-3 feet of growth per year. Plants are semi-upright in growth habit. Flowering sometimes occurs in the second year of growth, but more commonly trees begin flowering and fruiting in the third year after establishment. Flowers are single, medium red-purple, small, and non-showy. Flowering usually begins in mid to late March in Jackson Springs, N.C.; the chilling requirement is estimated to be 1000 hours below 4° C., based on comparison of flowering time to known varieties such as ‘Contender’ (non-patented) and ‘Biscoe’ (non-patented). Flowering generally lasts for 7-10 days, depending on temperature at time of bloom.
Fertility of flowers is excellent, and fruit set is generally very high in most years. Flowers have shown excellent resistance to cold temperatures during winter dormancy and during flower development in the spring. Fruit are very large, often 3 inches in diameter, yellow fleshed, and highly flavorful and aromatic. Fruit ripen in late July to early August in Jackson Springs, N.C., averaging August 1.
‘Carolina Gold’ is distinguished from other related known cultivars based on the unique combination of traits including late fruit ripening, high flower bud chilling requirement, resistance to bacterial spot disease, high fruit flesh quality, flower buds resistant to cold weather, large fruit size, and fruit flesh that is resistant to oxidative browning after slicing.
The new variety has been named the Carolina Gold cultivar.